Warning: Sexual content and profanity.

Note: Titled after "Grins" by Charli XCX.

A/N: Okay, I really wanted to rework "Grins" and give it better writing. This was in desperate need of a facelift. This is set in my 7teen story continuity—not too long after the gang's sleepover in "7teen: Say So"—but it can work as a standalone one-shot. Anyways, here's "Grins" rewritten.

Despite the air conditioning being fixed in her house a week ago, the muggy summer heat managed to creep its way into Nikki's bedroom. To combat this, she threw on an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts with a shrug.

It's not like anyone's gonna see me like this anyways, she reasoned with herself.

She plopped onto her bed, letting her purple comforter caress her legs as she reflected on her night. A smile graced her face as a familiar name invaded her brain.

Jonesy.

She'd spent the most of the evening in his bedroom. He'd locked his door, making them oblivious to the usual chaos taking place in his home.

Nothing special happened. It was a typical night in—spent by watching television, talking trash, eating pizza, and making out on his bed. This was a regular occurrence in their relationship, one that she was quite fond of. She simply enjoyed his company. She didn't have to dine at fancy restaurants or receive expensive gifts to have fun with him.

He showed his appreciation by giving her the last two slices in the box. He showed his appreciation in his kisses.

Oh, how she loved the way he kissed her. Even though he ran his big mouth far too often, kissing allowed him to put it to use in an enjoyable way. Despite his unfaltering arrogance, he was gifted at it.

She couldn't assess how good of a kisser he was during their first kiss. She only smooched him to get his wild ex Lydia to leave him alone. With him being caught off-guard and falling to the floor afterwards, it was like locking lips with a mannequin. His lips were hard and unmoving.

Subsequent kisses when they started their "situationship" (as Caitlin had called it) were nice, albeit unremarkable. Awkwardness sometimes lingered between them, seeing that they existed between the realms of just friends and something more.

It took a breakup and a dramatic reunion for him to kiss her like he truly meant it. The kiss they'd shared at the ice rink made her melt. She'd never been so wowed by a kiss before.

Ever since they got back together, Jonesy kissed her with fire. Even when they pecked each other on the lips, there was a burn to his kiss.

Now that their boundaries had shifted, his kisses were even more unrestrained. He wouldn't keep his lips, tongue, and teeth to himself. His mouth scorched against hers, setting her ablaze in ways previous boyfriends never had. He roamed over the crook of her neck and sometimes the rounded end of her shoulder. He especially loved to show devotion to the skin her bra obscured (and she loved it when he did it). His kisses and touches stirred something inside of her. Regardless of where his lips roamed, he set her alight.

Charming bastard, she thought with a chuckle.

Though she never regarded herself as being incomplete—and she never would—he somehow made her feel… whole. Despite their tendency to bicker with one another and remain obstinate in their opinions, he brought her contentment.

She smiled as she let the memories of him kissing her and touching her and laughing against her lips lull her to sleep.

But, despite feeling satisfied by how her night went, she couldn't help the feeling of something being off. Something being missing.

Her eyelids shot open and she sprung upright from her bed, gaping down at her chest.

Shit. My necklace.

In the heated moments spent making out and groping on his bed, she deduced that she left it on his nightstand.

She facepalmed herself. Way to go, Nicole.

While annoyed at herself for leaving it in his bedroom, forgetting to collect it before she left, she figured she'd have him return it to her the next time they hung out. She sent him a text about it and returned to her bed thereafter. After having calmed down about the necklace, she allowed herself to finally get some rest.

Thud! Thud!

She jolted upright again, craning her neck in the direction of the noise.

Thud! Thud!

"What the hell?" she asked, recognizing the noise as coming from her balcony window.

Dragging herself to the window in question, she saw her boyfriend standing outside on the balcony. She seethed.

He gave her a sheepish smile. "Wanna let me in?" he asked, his voice muffled due to being on the other side of the glass.

Her lips contorted into a scowl. Her arms folded across her chest.

"Please?" he asked, appearing more nervous by the second.

(If her looks could kill, he'd already be descending to hell in gasoline-soaked boxers.)

She huffed and opened her window, allowing him to stumble into her bedroom.

"Jonesy Ricardo Garcia, what in the hell are you doing here?!"

"Damn, babe, did you have to use my whole legal name?"

"Um, yes the hell I did—especially when you show up in my bedroom at one in the fucking morning."

"Sheesh, for someone so small, you cuss a lot."

She cocked her pierced eyebrow. "You're shitting me. Now, why the hell are you here? Is this some kind of booty call? Didn't you feel me up enough earlier?"

His eyes looked her up and down, gaping at her choice in pajamas. "I mean, if you wanna fool around some more, I'm totally do—"

"Jonesy."

"Damn, Nik, I'm just kidding… kinda."

"Well, if you're not here to try and sleep with me, then what are you here for?"

She needed answers, because, as much as she loved him, she loved a good night's rest even more.

"If you must know, I'm here for this." He reached into his jean pocket, presenting a valuable item to her.

Her anger dissipated into nothingness. "My necklace," she said in a soft voice, making eyes at him.

"You kinda left it in my room when we were making out."

She grinned at him. "I figured as much."

"Yeah. I knew I had to get it back to you ASAP, especially since it's your grandma's and all."

She let him place the necklace in her hand. "You remembered?"

"Of course I did, Nik. I remember when you started wearing it."

Her lăolao had given her the turquoise pendant as a birthday gift in the seventh grade, but Nikki didn't start wearing it until the ninth grade when she passed away. She wanted to honor her grandmother's memory. She wanted to keep a piece of her lăolao close to her chest. Since her death, it was the closest thing to a hug Nikki could get.

Her grandmother was the one relative who never gave her grief for being different. Never gave her grief for getting piercings, chopping her hair into a bob, opting to wear baggy clothes, becoming a feminist, and running with the boys. (But, then again, her mother mentioned that Nikki embodied her grandmother's anti-societal spirit.) It was only fitting for her to keep the necklace close to her heart.

"I'd probably freak out if I couldn't find my own damn necklace," Jonesy added.

"Why?" she asked.

"You know—my dad gave it to me 'cause my abuelito used to wear it."

Her eyes glanced at his wood-beaded, twine necklace. "Jonesy, I never knew that necklace was your grandfather's."

"Yeah, it was… He really was the coolest guy alive." Then he stared at the hardwood floor of her bedroom, trying not to get emotional. His throat constricted. "I really miss him sometimes."

She squeezed his hand for comfort. To see Jonesy grow sentimental like this—it reminded her that there were many layers to him; he merely wore the arrogant-flirt façade to appear more masculine. His sentimentality also reminded Nikki of her own lingering grief, but she didn't want to dwell on that.

"Hey," she said, grabbing his attention in a gentle voice. "It's nice that, after knowing you for so long, I'm still learning new things about you."

He stroked the side of her face. "I could say the same about you, babe."

She closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying his touch, mourning it when his hand left her face.

"So, since we're learning new things tonight, I was wondering if we could try something new."

"Like what?" she asked while placing her necklace on her dresser.

"Maybe I could try spending the night with you." He watched her turn around with a baffled expression. Before she could speak, he explained, "Not in a sexual way or anything. I just… I just wanna be with you for the night." He scratched the back of his head. "I was in my room feeling kinda empty after you left, so when I saw you left your necklace, it gave me an excuse to come over here and be with you."

Her facial expression softened. While she missed her necklace, he missed her. That moved her.

She walked over to him and pulled him into a deep kiss.

Unlike their very first kiss, he seemed prepared for this one. His lips moved with hers, not against. His mouth parted slightly to accommodate her warm tongue. His hands held her waist, unwilling to let go even when they parted from each other.

"You can stay here tonight," she said.

"Really?"

"Mmhmm," she said. They'd been in each other's beds for sure—usually to cuddle, make out, chat, or watch television—but never to spend the night. However, she wasn't averse to introducing the option into their relationship. She sent another grin his way. "Just behave yourself and we won't have any problems."

She went and locked the door before making her way to her bed.

"If there's anyone misbehaving, it's you," he said as he took off his shirt. "Because the way you just frenched me was pretty naughty."

"Maybe so." She watched him take off his shoes and pants, leaving him in his boxers and socks. Her eyes lingered over his torso, but not in the lustful way she stared at him during their poolside encounter a week ago. She wanted his body beside hers for the night, not on top of it. A little company wouldn't hurt at all.

He plopped onto her bed and crawled on top of her, gazing at her features. He adored her messy purple hair and her mischievous expression without makeup.

"Maybe we can both misbehave a little bit tonight, huh?" he asked with a cocky grin that she adored.

She'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't want to kiss that grin right off his face.

"Fine. Just a little bit."

His lips dove to meet hers, kissing her with great fervor.

Her legs wrapped around his waist out of instinct. Her hands rubbed up and down his back. She felt comfortable, safe, and warm with him.

A moan escaped her lips before he parted from her.

"I love it when you moan like that," he said, causing her cheeks to flush.

"I love it when you give me a reason to."

He grinned and gave her another peck on the lips before rolling onto his back and cuddling with her.

She absentmindedly ran her fingers over his chest, reveling in the feel of his balmy, brown skin.

They remained silent for while, listening to each other's breaths as the air ebbed and flowed from their lungs.

"You know," Jonesy said, breaking the comfortable silence between them, "my abuelito said my abuelita was his high-school girlfriend."

She quirked a brow. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah." He gave Nikki a lovestruck look. "I just hope I'm as lucky as him someday."

"Who knows? You might just be."

He smiled as she pressed a gentle kiss against his neck. "I like the sound of that… Mrs. Nikki Garcia."

She tapped her finger against the tip of his nose. "That's Mrs. Nikki Wong-Garcia to you."

"Hey, I'm down with whatever as long as I get to wife you up someday."

Her cheeks felt hot to the touch. They'd never discussed commitment like this before, but, wildly enough, she wasn't averse to being with him in the long term. The idea actually… delighted her? Wow, it delighted her to entertain these thoughts, especially when he was the one initiating such a conversation. Jonesy Garcia, of all people, discussing commitment? Tonight must have been a fever dream. Then again, she'd seen more of his protective walls tumble down since getting back together with him. She loved this side of him; seeing it made her more willing to picture a future with him. She grinned as she said, "And I just might let you. I just might."

Minutes later, she didn't know where her lips ended and his began. They were so caught up in one another, spellbound by a love from his past and secretly hoping their future would turn out the same way.

Since she had him within her bed for the night, she should have known that they wouldn't be sleeping for most of it. Rather, she let him kiss her and roam—even exploring beneath her t-shirt the way she liked it. Sleep didn't cross their minds until a while later, when energy had diminished and lips were tender and swollen.

Neither of them realized this would become a ritual for the rest of the summer—with Jonesy sneaking out of his house to visit her in her room and Nikki lying to her parents about having a sleepover with Jen just so she can spend the night in Jonesy's room.